Rail-clamp.



G. A. ALDEN. RAIL CLAMP. APPLIOATIONJIILED rum 21. 1e12.

- Patented Jan. 154, 913.

-kv .Iiiig ed to extend beneath a rail or rails and havingmeans on one end thereof to engage one on annns a. stem, or sit orator.

EELTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application fled March 21, 1912. Serial No. 685,150.

To (153 whorl, it may concern I Be it known tlilat T, Cn'anrns A. ALnnN, fifCllliZfill of the United States, residing at Steelton, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented cer' tain new and useful Improvements in Rail- Clamps, of which. the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railroad rail clamps of the class employing ayoke adaptside of a rail :and an adjustable clamping means cotiperating with the. other end of the yoke to clamp a rail or rails therein; the invention being particularly though not exclusively adapted for use in connection with guard rail clamps.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel, simple and etlicient clampin g means which may be readily adjusted to clamp a etail or rails within the yoke and which may alsov be readily adjusted to compensate for wear.

l lWith this object in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention: 'Figure 1, is a plan view of aportion of a main rail, an adjacent guardrail and a rail clamp,'clamping. and holding the rails relatively to each other,

. the clamp being provided with one form of embodiment of my improved adjustable clamping means. Fig. 2, is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the rails being shown in section. Fig. 3, is a horizontal section through the adjustable clamping means, on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the-drawings, 2 designates a railroad main rail and 4 a guard rail adjacentthereto. -EXtending transversely be neath the rails 2 and 4 is the body port-ion ti of a yoke Shaving upwardly and inwardly extending end portions 7 and 8.

The bottoms of the bases of the rails 2 and 4 engage the top of the body 5 of the yoke, and the rails are embraced by the end portions 7 and 8, as shown. The rails 2 and 4 are held spaced from each other by a pair of adjustable,v wedge-shaped separating or tiller blocks-9 engaging each other and the adjacent faces of the rails 2 and 4 between the heads and bases thereof. These blocks 9 are provided with coacting teeth 12 holding the blocks in proper positions relatively to each other and one block of the pair is' provided with projections 11 engaging the sides of the yoke 6 and. preventing displacement of'the pair of blocks relatively to the yoke.

interposed between the outer face of the mainrail 2 and the end portion 7 of the yoke is a block.12 which rests on the base of the main rail2. The inner faces of the block 12 is fitted to and engages the outer face of the main rail 2 between the head and base thereof; and the outer face of the block 12 engages and supports the, inturned end portion 7 of the yoke 6 thereby supporting one end of the yoke. The block 7 is provided with outwardly projecting ribs 13 which engage the sides of the yoke 6 and prevent displacement of the block relatively thereto. I

Inter-posed between the end portion 8 of the yokeand the adjacent side of the guard rail 4 is a pair of wedge members comprising an inner member 14 and an outer member 15. The inner face of the member 14 is fitted to and engages the outer face of the guard rail 4 between the head and base thereof; and the outer face of the member 15 engages the inner face of the inturned end portion 8 of the yoke. The members 14 and 15 are supported upon the base of the gdard rail 4 and the adjacent end of the yoke 6 is supported'by the member 15. The

outerface 16 of the member 14 is inclined with respect to the side of the guard rail 4, and the inner face 17 of the member 15 is similarly inclined and engaged with the outer inclined face 16 of the member 14,

. whereby, when the Wide end of the member 14 is forced toward the "wide end of the member 15, the mile 2' and 4., the block 12 and the pair of filler blocks 9 will be firmly,

clamped together within the yoke 6. To effect the clamping operation, I provide a bolt 18 having an integral head 19 formed on one end thereof and an adjustable nut 20 screwed on to the other end thereof. The

bolt 18intersects the plane of the engaged inclined faces 16 and17 of the members 14 and .15, and the bolt 18 extends through horizontal grooves 21 and 22 formed in the members 14 and 15, respectively. The head 19 is arranged within a cavity 23 in the wide end of the member 14 and opening into the groove 21. The head 19 engages the wall of the cavity 23 adjacent the groove 21 and Patented Jan.14,191 3.

Lthwide end ofthe mem th n tflo en i usb'seen that by tightens [big the 'nut -20, the-wide endof thememher move laterally from influence of the ing the wide en 1 end thereof engagin 35 51 14 will bedrawntoiilmrd the wide end of the member 15in, 'manner' to finnly-clamp the rails. withinfthe yoke;

The grooves 21 and 22 face ea ehother 'and" are open atthe inclined faces of the-members 14 and 15 to: permit the ipartsto be readily assembled. and to permit-the, me bers 14 and 15 vto move laterallyl of-the be t 18 as one member is movedi'elativel to the other under the be t 18 during the clamping operation. To preventdisplacement of the pair of members hand 15 relatively tothe yoke 6, I provide the member 15 with ribs 24 which engage the sides of'theend portion 8 of the yoke.

I claim: 5

t 1. In a rail clamp, the combination of a yoke ada ted to extend transversely beneath, arail an provided with means on one end th'ereofto engage a i-ail' a pair of wedge members having inclined, faces and coiiperating with the other end of said yoke to clam a rail therein, the inclined face of one mem er of 'said pair engaging the inclined face of the other member of said pair, and a bolt intersecting the plane of said inclined faces and havin ahead on one endengagof-one member of said pair andhaving an adjustable nut on the other the wide end of the other memberofsai pair, one member of saidlpair having a groove formed. therein through which said bolt extends, said groove being open at the inclined face and at the wide end face of its member, permittin its member throughout the length theme to said bolt. 2. In a rail clamp, the combination of a yoke adapted to extend transverseIy beneat-h other member of; sa'f ne er the'teo fto" engage Q a. rail, a pa r-of w in lined faoesand 1 ti rwith. the" 1 other end, of l to am 'a mili 4 the face offine; mom N ofsmdpitirengagmg' the'inelmed. face-'of-the other membero 'sai ,apamand a b0lt-intersctingj the plane of saldyinclinedfacesf'andihavi ahead on one end engagthe wide en of one of aeid and having an adjustebleiinutbn the endfthereo enga of the me e of said pair. having'a .fqrmedinwite wide end and openjat its face, and said head being located .withing'said cavity. .3. In a rail clamp, the combination of a yoke adapted to .extendtran'sversel'ybeneath a rail andprovided with means on one end A thereof to engage a rail, a pair of. wedge members having inclined faces and ooiiperating, with the other end of said yoke to clam a rail therein, the inclined face of one member of said pair e 'ng the inclined face of the other membero said pair, and a bolt intersecting the-plane of said inclined iaces'and havir a head on oneend engaging'the wide on of one member of said pair and having an adjustablenut on-the other end thereof the wide end of the 1 other member-of sai pair, one member of said pair having a groove and a cavity formed therein and opening ach other 1 and open at the inclined said. bolt extending thro said head being located In testimony whereof in presence of two with:

CHAll-itale 4'1. AIADIEIN} d cavity.

J om: "N. 

